Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda reshuffled his Cabinet on Friday, appointing former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Katsuya Okada as deputy prime minister.
The move was made to fortify government leadership to promote integrated reform of the social security and tax systems, as well as administrative reform. Okada will double as a state minister to act as a control tower in pushing the reforms through, particularly the proposed consumption tax rate hike.
Noda replaced five ministers in total, including Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa and consumer affairs minister Kenji Yamaoka, both of whom were censured by the House of Councillors last month.
Noda appointed the DPJ's Diet Affairs Committee Chairman Hirofumi Hirano as education, culture, sports, science and technology minister. (Yomiuri)
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